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Topic: First 1,000 kms. (Read 947 times)

A perfect day in Devon, sunny and warm, and I've been thundering about up on Dartmoor putting the final running-in mileage on the bike, a hundred or so miles. She just clocked 625 miles as I pulled into my lane. The engine has loosened up nicely, and she slips eagerly and effortlessly up to sixty on the straight, and seems quite keen for a bit more. I'm way more relaxed on this bike now, leaning faster into the curves and nicely in control of the slow stuff.I had a look at the plug before I left and cleaned it up. It was pretty sooty, which surprised me. This is a lean burn engine, no? A little bit of black smoke when she starts, not much, and the inside of the tail pie is sooty too. Is this your experience?I'm going to change the oil again and do all the service checks tomorrow - the first service was done after two hundred miles, earlier than recommended but the bike was in for a couple of warranty issues so we figured may as well do the service while she's there.I'm hoping this weather is set fair for a while - I'm ready for the Slapton seafront thrash - my favourite bit of road, two miles straight, ocean on one side and fresh water lagoon on the other. I'm not going to try for the ton, but I know she wants to do seventy or eighty and have a good blow through after three weeks of holding back.Or is that just me....?

I enjoy your accounts because it reminds me of my own experiences, such as getting more confident with the handling and leaning it over more. For sure the engine at 625 miles is a lot more willing than at 25 and I also found it felt pretty much ready for anything. I would still take a little more time over it though. Take it to 65, then 70, then 75, then 80. I'd be surprised if you ever see a ton on it anyway. I didn't hit 80 until 1000 miles. Now I do whatever I like but I've never had more than 85 on the clock and that only once. On the other hand I've never given it full throttle or crouched on the tank or tried very hard at all. It's not really designed to hold more than 70-75 for long periods and frankly 60-65 is a lot more relaxing.

As for sooty plugs I've heard a few similar stories. I haven't actually removed mine yet, (1850m), but I might put an NGK in soon. Up to now I've figured that it performs as well as anyone else's and returns 80mpg so there can't be much wrong with it. Yes, I would imagine it runs pretty lean too. Wait till you've finished running in, give it a good thrashing and then check the plug again.

I wasn't entirely serious about the ton. As you say, it's highly doubtful the bike would do it anyway and I'm not about to thrash the arse off it. I've been too careful to run her in properly. But it is that sort of road... just one thrash....just to see.....I inadvertantly crept up to sixty-five today so throttled back a bit. Today was the first time up to sixty, and then only for brief spurts. Irresistible. I think it'll manage seventy without much effort if I get down to the coast one evening this week, but as you say, this bike is very comfortable thudding along at sixty, and that suits me fine.It's a bike for the old roads; motorway riding is pretty dull after all.

Just checked the forecast and it looks like you are in for a great week. I'm working - mine's just a weekend bike - so I envy you the opportunity. I did 170 miles this weekend in Essex, Kent & Surrey with as few as possible on the motorway. I find it a lovely A road bike and some B roads. Unfortunately some B roads are so badly surfaced the rear suspension can't cope and it's no fun at all. But what a weekend. This bike is addictive. Enjoy the rides next week.

The engine has loosened up nicely, and she slips eagerly and effortlessly up to sixty on the straight, and seems quite keen for a bit more. I'm way more relaxed on this bike now, leaning faster into the curves and nicely in control of the slow stuff.

I had a look at the plug before I left and cleaned it up. It was pretty sooty, which surprised me. This is a lean burn engine, no? A little bit of black smoke when she starts, not much, and the inside of the tail pie is sooty too. Is this your experience?

What is the make and number of the spark plug in your bike ? Is it original WR7 DDC4 by Bosch (Mico) or something equivalent ?

Well Clubman, I'm working too I'm afraid,although I'm self employed and only have me to worry about so can be a bit free and easy with my time, especially this time of year which is always quiet in my business. But this week is catch-up time after all this recent skiving off with the new bike! Glad you too got out and about on the bike this glorious weekend. It is indeed totally addictive. And I'm finding all the old roads we used before the big trunk routes were built. They're still there, nice and quiet, though often a bit neglected by the road mending crew. Enjoy.

Singh, yes it is the original Bosch plug, with the two contacts instead of the old type single adjustable contact. It is black but not clogged up. I checked it because the tickover was occasionally a little hesitant, and was racing a bit I thought when I returned from my evening ride on saturday. When the loan bike conked out it was because the plug was very sooty and clogged, but that bike had been started every day, run round from the back to the front of the showroom, and switched off, so only really run on choke. This is definitely not the case with my bike, which runs for a minimum of thirty miles but often for over one hundred, except for occasional startups in the garage to impress visiting friends!

Singh, yes it is the original Bosch plug, with the two contacts instead of the old type single adjustable contact. It is black but not clogged up. I checked it because the tickover was occasionally a little hesitant, and was racing a bit I thought when I returned from my evening ride on saturday. When the loan bike conked out it was because the plug was very sooty and clogged, but that bike had been started every day, run round from the back to the front of the showroom, and switched off, so only really run on choke. This is definitely not the case with my bike, which runs for a minimum of thirty miles but often for over one hundred, except for occasional startups in the garage to impress visiting friends!

Will, Can you put a picture of your spark plug on your next post ? How many miles have you put on this plug ?

Hi Singh,Do note it was the LOAN bike which conked out because of the plug being clogged up with soot - not my bike.The plug on my own bike is just a bit black with soot, as is the inside of the tailpipe. This may be normal, I don't know, but it surprised me as it's a lean burn engine of course, and I don't run it usually less than thirty miles or so after start up, and usually a lot more. Of course, this blackening of the plug may have occurred before I took delivery of the bike - it only had delivery mileage on the clock, twelve miles, but may have been run cold a few times I suppose. I cleaned the plug off prior to yesterday's ride of about 130 miles, and have done another thirty or so today. Total mileage now 655. I'll give it a few more miles tomorrow and check it again. The fuel consumption seems ok.

Well I've put another hundred miles on the clock, including a short seventy mph thrash along the coast, and the plug looks as I'd expect it to. No more soot except a little trace round the rim at the bottom of the threads, but the business end looks absolutely fine.On this evening's ride, about seventy miles, I really had the sense that both I and the bike have finally settled in together. The engine is way more smooth and responsive, and I felt just so easy rolling through the curves at speed. Some of the grabby take-up I'd been on about previously was, I now know, due to my tendency to be in too high a gear for the speed the bike's doing. I was being over cautious before to keep the revs low for running in, but that's done and now I'm right into the fun stuff and I really got into working the gears on this trip.! I don't even want the seat lowered anymore. The bike fits me fine.Chrome carrier and leather saddlebags arriving tomorrow. Here I go-o-o-o-o-o....